Columbus halts use of Flock license-plate cameras amid officer misuse probe
Columbus police have stopped operating Flock automatic license-plate readers after an officer allegedly queried the same plate over 270 times in about 14 months.
In response to a probe into alleged abuse of Flock automatic license-plate readers, Columbus police have immediately suspended the system and covered the devices to prevent additional scans. Mayor Andrew Ginther called the conduct "deeply troubling" and directed a citywide audit of every Flock search conducted by the force. The City Council is preparing legislation to regulate the technology's future deployment.
The investigation centers on Officer Melvin Tellis, a member of the City Council Executive Protection Unit since 2017, who is accused of searching a single plate more than 270 times between November 2023 and December 2024, often citing vague reasons like "location." Chief Elaine Bryant said the activity appeared unrelated to his official duties, though she did not disclose the plate's identity. Tellis has been relieved of field duties, required to surrender his firearm and badge, and reassigned to a headquarters desk while continuing to be paid. Flock CEO Garrett Langley has reiterated his company's stance that the tool itself is not responsible for misuse, emphasizing a balance between safety and privacy.
Why it matters
The pause raises questions about police surveillance, data privacy, and oversight of emerging law-enforcement technologies.
How this story developed
- Jul 9 Flock Safety CEO brands transparency group as 'terrorist' amid AI camera controversy
- Aug 8 The Navajo Nation signed a contract to deploy Flock cameras across its reservation.
- Aug 12 Authorities found solar‑panel parts linked to Flock cameras during a search of Sovern’s residence.
- Aug 13 Flock Safety announced it will keep license-plate-reader footage for only seven days and require police to log a case code for every query.
- Aug 13 Former Bibb County sheriff’s deputies were arrested on stalking charges for using Flock license‑plate readers for personal purposes.
- Aug 13 Flock made its audit tool mandatory and reduced the default retention window to seven days.
- Aug 18 Park rangers reported Flock cameras appearing in several national forests.
- Aug 19 West Virginia legislator Chris Anders introduced a bill to ban Flock Safety cameras on constitutional grounds.
- Aug 21 New Bedford Police Department shut down its entire Flock camera system after discovering repeated unauthorized plate searches.
- Aug 26 Texas residents rallied at a Harris County meeting to demand stronger privacy protections for Flock cameras.
- Aug 26 A clerical error in Milwaukee’s Flock camera database led to a gunpoint traffic stop, prompting the driver to hire counsel and submit a notice of claim against the city and police department.
- Aug 28 Pflugerville, Texas voted to terminate its contract with Flock Safety and switched off all 28 cameras.
- Aug 31 Senator Josh Hawley opened a Senate investigation into Flock Safety's data practices.
- Sep 1 Florida Department of Transportation cancels permits and orders removal of Flock cameras from state highways.
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